How To Pronounce “she's”

she's

function word

Strong form

Used when emphasised or contrasted.

Phonemic

/ʃiːz/

Phonetic

[ʃiːz]

e.g. I said she's, not he's.

/aɪ.sedˈʃiːz.nɒt.hiːz/

Phonemic

/ʃiːz/

e.g. I said she's, not he's.

/aɪ.sedˈʃiːz.nɑːt.hiːz/

Weak form

Used in connected speech.

Phonemic

/ʃiz/

Phonetic

[ʃiz]

e.g. She's tall.

/ʃizˈtɔːl/

Phonemic

/ʃiz/

e.g. She's tall.

/ʃizˈtɔːl/

“she's” is a function word, so it has more than one pronunciation. In normal connected speech the weak form is usual. The strong form is used when the word is stressed, said on its own or at the end of a phrase.

Strong form. In British English it is /ʃiːz/, and in American English it is /ʃiːz/. It is used when emphasised or contrasted.

Weak form. In British English it is /ʃiz/, and in American English it is /ʃiz/. It is used in connected speech.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.

Questions About She's

How do you pronounce she's in British English?

Strong form, /ʃiːz/. Weak form, /ʃiz/.

How do you pronounce she's in American English?

Strong form, /ʃiːz/. Weak form, /ʃiz/.

What is the weak form of she's?

The weak form of she's is /ʃiz/ in British English. It is the usual form in connected speech.

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